CVE-2022-47515 in drachtio-server
Summary
by MITRE • 12/18/2022
An issue was discovered in drachtio-server before 0.8.20. It allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a long message in a TCP request that leads to std::length_error.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-47515 affects drachtio-server versions prior to 0.8.20 and represents a critical denial of service weakness that can be exploited remotely by attackers. This issue manifests when malicious actors send specially crafted TCP requests containing excessively long messages to the server, triggering a system crash that results in daemon termination. The vulnerability specifically leverages a std::length_error exception within the C++ standard library, indicating that the software fails to properly validate input message lengths before processing them. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation and can be classified as CWE-129, which addresses insufficient validation of length of input buffers. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no authentication and can be executed over the network, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can establish TCP connections to the targeted server.
The technical flaw stems from the server's inadequate handling of TCP message length constraints during the parsing and processing of incoming requests. When a TCP request containing an excessively long message is received, the drachtio-server application attempts to process this data without sufficient bounds checking, leading to a std::length_error exception that is not properly caught or handled. This exception causes the application daemon to terminate unexpectedly, resulting in a complete denial of service condition that affects all legitimate users who depend on the server for communication services. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic buffer overflow scenario where the application fails to validate that incoming message lengths remain within acceptable parameters before attempting to allocate memory or process the data. This type of error handling deficiency can be traced back to CWE-248, which covers the exposure of exception information, and CWE-770, which addresses allocation of resources without limits or throttling.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-47515 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely compromise the availability of communication services that depend on drachtio-server for SIP signaling and media handling. Organizations utilizing this server for voice over IP communications, session initiation protocol handling, or real-time communication services face significant risk of service interruptions that can affect business continuity and customer satisfaction. The vulnerability can be particularly damaging in environments where high availability is critical, such as telecommunications infrastructure, enterprise communication systems, or any service that relies on uninterrupted SIP server operations. The ease of exploitation, requiring only the ability to send TCP requests to the server, means that attackers can quickly and repeatedly cause service degradation or complete outages. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and can be categorized under the broader ATT&CK tactic of Impact. The lack of authentication requirements and the remote nature of the attack make this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers from anywhere on the internet without requiring insider knowledge or privileged access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-47515 should focus on immediate remediation through the deployment of drachtio-server version 0.8.20 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the length validation issue. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as rate limiting and connection throttling to reduce the impact of potential attacks, while monitoring for unusual patterns of TCP traffic that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include implementing input validation at multiple layers, configuring proper exception handling mechanisms to prevent daemon crashes, and establishing robust logging and alerting systems to detect and respond to exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and exception handling in server applications, particularly those handling network communications where attackers can easily craft malicious payloads. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their communication infrastructure to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components and ensure comprehensive protection against denial of service attacks. The incident also highlights the need for regular security updates and patch management processes, as this vulnerability was resolved in a minor version update that addresses the core issue without requiring architectural changes to the system.